A Detached garage offers more space, peace and quiet (both ways) for the DIY enthusiast and their family. Their build is usually more creative as they are an independent part of your property and can increase the value of your home. There are some other benefits of a detached garage. Firstly, they can vastly improve the curb appeal of your house and keep the focus of passer-bys on the design of your home (if you match the door to the house and the garage door styles). If we are talking about creating a new garage (either on a new house build or adding to an existing property) they are highly customizable when it comes to size, shape, and layout. Moreover, detached garages offer more space for tools, workshops, and of course vehicles. If the garage already exists, they can even be created into livable spaces for kids, guests, and even ‘home-based’ offices and a great home ‘bar’ or cinema.

Problems that come with detached garages

Lack of shelter from the elements

The biggest drawback of a detached garage is that there is a space between the house and garage. With its semi-detached or integral counterpart, you can take your children, pets, and loads of groceries immediately inside, which is highly convenient, especially when the weather is bad.

A detached garage looks like a million dollars, but in extreme weather conditions, the short walk from the garage to your home can seem like an awfully long way. A detached garage will obviously provide shelter to your vehicles and other items stored there, but will not help when bad weather hits.

The solution:

A covered walkway between the house and the garage! The best way to eliminate the hassle of walking in problematic weather conditions is to install a walkway from both the garage and the house. It may also add an aesthetically appealing element to the home and enhance the value. However it may not look like the ‘Estate’ that you may have been trying to style. The whole point of detached buildings is to have space between the buildings that looks both spacious and affluent.

If you are designing your home from scratch, the add-on will be easy to do, for the builder and also with costs in mind. However, if your home is already setup, attaching a pathway may be a challenging task, but of course not impossible for any qualified builder.

However, with an existing setup, your property could start to look cluttered and less airy.

Takes up valuable property space

If you are a parent, you would have dreams of children playing on the greener areas of the garden in the outdoor sun and fresh air. Unfortunately, a detached garage will take up a lot of land space, limiting the play area for the kids and pets.

The solution:

Convert the small areas into cozy retreats!

Yes, a small yard area may limit mobility for your children and pets, but this does not mean you cannot make the place interesting and fun for them. In fact, the internet is full of photos, tools, and DIY tips that will enable homeowners to tackle the landscaping challenges they face due to the restriction of available land.

Heating and Cooling

A new build detached garage is a separate entity from your home. This means that the unit cannot take any electricity, heating facility, AC, or even water from your primary home. This can be a nuisance, especially if you are planning to use the room for more than vehicle storage and will require you to get a separate installation for all the utilities.

The Solution:

Proper protocols to minimize the effects of weather! A separate utility system for water, gas, and electricity becomes apparent if your detached garage is being occupied as a kid’s play area, guest room, gym, bar, or an office. Yes, it’s an added expenditure to your monthly budget, but the luxury of a detached garage and a livable environment will be worth the extra cost.

Extra cooling in the winter months and unbearable heat in the summers is a common issue in garages – whether they are detached or semi-detached.

One of the best ways to keep the garage at comfortable temperatures all-year round is to equip the room with proper insulation.

Insulation is a simple way to solve the heat and cold problem, and a DIYer can easily set up the garage without additional help from a builder. It is also an affordable solution, and once you have a system in place, there are no further added costs.

In fact, insulation will significantly reduce your electricity bill. This is because, in extreme temperatures, the heating and cooling system has to work harder than ever to keep the cool air from escaping. A well insulated room will prevent the air from the air-conditioner to escape outside – thus lessening the load on your utility bill. Besides insulation, there are many other ways to maintain an even temperature in your detached garage without killing you financially.

To cool the room, try:

Installing extra fans

Equip the room with a proper ventilation system

Use light color paint on the inside wall

Keep clutter to the minimum

To enhance the heating of the garage during winter months, try:

Hook up an electric heater

Add a radiant heating system

Look out for cracks around the windows and doors that cause heat loss

Add a ductless mini split heat pump

New builds or conversions can be disallowed by homeowners association

Some homeowners associations don’t allow residents to add a detached garage as they may differ from the traditional environment of the neighborhood. Check with the relevant authorities, and if that is the case with your area, there is not much you can do but abide by the laws.

Get in touch with the homeowners association of your area and find out the laws regarding your construction limits. Being aware of the restrictions placed by the higher authorities can exempt you from several problems later on including legal formalities and reconstruction. You could always join the homeowners association and change from within.

The Bottom line

Building a customized home and detached garage with all the amenities of your choice is not just building a place to live but a dream that you will cherish for years to come. The pain of building a detached garage will be offset by the great times you will spend watching moves in your home theater, hanging out with friends in your home ‘bar’ or saving money on office rental.

This is why it is important that you consider each aspect of house construction thoroughly, when deciding to have a detached or semi-detached or integrated garage.